[Harp-L] SPAH report

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

This was an amazing SPAH as it always is.  I want to thank everyone who
worked hard to make it come together.  It always surprises me when I am
clued in to who does the behind the scenes work at SPAH.  Often it is a
very quiet member who is not drawing attention to himself.

As usual it was great to see old friends.  I especially feel like I made
some new friendships with:

Mike Caldwell, a great country player who seemed surprised that I had heard
of him when he was one of the main reasons I was excited to go this year.

Patton Oswald, a teenager who is one of the best and most obsessed bass
harp players I have ever met and his Eema (mother) Jodi, who is starting to
play chromatic.

Tony Sgro, legendary vaudevillian, member of Minevitch and Puleo's groups
and one of the best chord players I have heard.

Charlie Musselwhite, just some guy who seems to really like harp.  Actually
we've met many times before but this year he emailed me complimenting my
Meat and Potatoes videos and we got to know each other better at SPAH.

Filip Jers and I shared a great breakfast, he can play a little.

Connor, one of the younger diatonic players.

And a whole slew of people who took my morning blues jam and sat at my
table during the Filisko Teach In.

I greatly enjoyed all of the performances but especially Stan Harper, (who
I heard play some killer diatonic),  Joe Powers, Cheryl Arena, Rupert
Oysler, Tom Ball, Mitch Kashmar, Mike Caldwell and the Sgro Brothers.

I feel I learned the most from the vibrato seminar and the overblow
seminar.  Both situations made me aware of techniques to get different
vibratos and I will hopefully get to working on them.

I got some toys.  I got the new sub30 in C,  for which I will try and post
a video review soon, a CBH 2016 and a low F 270 chromatic.

I felt good about how my seminars went.  I thank everyone for
participating.

I felt my performance with The Kalu James band went well.  I thank everyone
who listened and for the kind words.  I will admit to being especially
excited because Musselwhite listened to the whole set.  There is a special
feeling when someone you've respected to the point of heroism for 27 years
watches you play.

All in all a great SPAH.

Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com